MEDIA RELEASE: LABOR CELEBRATES MODERN MULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA

THE HON TONY BURKE MP 
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER 
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CITIZENSHIP AND MULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA 
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS 
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR WATSON

SHAYNE NEUMANN MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION
MEMBER FOR BLAIR
 
LABOR CELEBRATES MODERN MULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA
 

Modern Australia and multicultural Australia are the same thing. Labor’s Fair Go Action Plan delivers for all Australians.  
 
After six years of cuts and chaos, Scott Morrison and the Liberals continue to neglect Australia’s migrant and multicultural communities. 
  
We need real change – because more of the same isn’t good enough. 
 
Modern multicultural Australia is best served by a government that will invest in education right through from early childhood education, to school, university, and TAFE.  
 
Modern multicultural Australia is best supported by a government that will invest in health, ease pressure on family budgets, provide more affordable housing and support small business.   
 
A Shorten Labor Government has a plan to deliver for all Australians and our Fair Go Action Plan is focussed on jobs, health, education, housing and small business. Read the full plan here. 
 
Labor’s plan for multicultural Australia includes: 

  • An investment of $100 million to expand access to culturally appropriate aged care facilities throughout Australia, ensuring that older Australians from multicultural backgrounds are in an environment where the language, food and surroundings are familiar to them. 

  • A fairer and cheaper Long Stay Parent Visa, so that Australian families from migrant and multicultural backgrounds can reunite with their loved ones and so that grandparents can spend quality time with their grandchildren. 

  • An investment of an additional $15 million in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) to increase the number of service locations, expand access for more migrants and improve training quality. 

  • An investment in programs to strengthen communities, share stories and support grassroots community groups. 

  • Establishing citizenship commissioners to work with communities to promote social cohesion and multiculturalism. 

A Shorten Labor Government will also establish a dedicated body, Multicultural Australia, so the Commonwealth is again a leader in multicultural policy and programs to: 

  • Drive the economic, social, and cultural integration of newly arrived migrants and members of culturally and linguistically diverse communities. 

  • Assist Australians to preserve, enhance and share their cultures, languages and group identities. 

  • Improve the responsiveness of all institutions to meet the needs of a diverse population. 

Labor knows that modern Australia and multicultural Australia are the same thing. Only a Shorten Labor Government will deliver a fair go for Australia’s proud migrant and multicultural communities. 
  
If you want a fair go for all Australians – vote Labor. 
 
Labor’s Plan for multicultural Australia can be accessed here. 

 

WEDNESDAY, 8 MAY 2019

Tony Burke